We’ve all sat (with teeth gritted) through one or two reality tv dramas. We know that those participants are chosen for being the most outrageous in order to attain some level of notoriety. It’s clear that overreacting seems to be the key to our society today. But in reality, exactly what do we get for all of that excruciating agony (especially for those of us watching)? It’s not as though anyone has proven that they used those logical reasoning skills that supposed to be a characteristics of humans. All that’s shown is that we’re driven strictly by pure emotions, which can be downright scary in potentially confrontational situations like what we saw in San Francisco. It’s also clear that we are in dire need of some better role models.
When an organization already has a bad reputation for overreacting under the best of circumstances, then all they’ve proven is that they’re only capable of one game plan with little deviation. Not exactly a creative or inspirational method to prove the organization’s capability to learn. It’s clear that this is a lesson that we need to take to heart. Because in this case, it may be affecting lessons that we should have already learned.
The BART riot police has a responsibility to uphold the safety of their customers. But they also have the obligation to do it in a manner that matches the trust that we place in organizations such as theirs. We are not London, or Greece, or even the Middle East. Citizens here are supposed to have certain unalienable rights that are guaranteed through our democracy. Using psychology to predict the potential of unrest is not in the purview of any police organization, because that action has yet to happen. That is a power that no one should have, because the chances of irresponsible use is too great. And yet police are testing it everywhere.
We’re all going to be confronted with volatile situations that will trigger an emotional response. But by using our past experiences to gauge the most appropriate actions to the current situation, you can avoid overreacting with its unpredictable consequences. Of course, pay attention to your surroundings so that you can make any minute modifications to your overall game plan, but don’t let your surroundings dictate your actions. Each circumstance is an individual event with different precursors, motivations, and players. Assuming that something is going to happen because it did elsewhere is irresponsible at best, especially when your actions are all about responsible behaviors.
Right now, there’s a lot of reacting and overreacting happening from different corners of the world. People are no longer using their analytical skills to create activities that foster the forward momentum of our belief systems and their corresponding activities. Since we’re all players of this game of life, then I think that we all need to place a higher requirement of responsibility for our actions. Each player has a right to uphold their individual belief system through proper discourse. Open communication allows for this discourse to start and grow organically. Leave the overreacting to dramas, so that we can all have some peace and quiet in our daily existence. Emotions rarely lead to logical behavior.
